System and method for administering a brokerage rebate card program

• US 6,985,873 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: First USA Bank N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMPAGNE, DONALD
• Application Number:
  US09/761,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/35, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0219 based on funds or budget
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0234 Rebates after completed purchase
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A technique for administering a rebate program includes logic for generating rebate information based the purchase of goods and/or services using a card instrument. The technique further includes logic for applying a rebate, based on the rebate information, to fund at least part of a transaction performed by an brokerage service. In one embodiment, the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction. In this case, the rebate is used to fund at least part of the transaction fee. The rebate therefore entitles the cardholder to perform a transaction free of charge. The rebate thus is converted to one or more “free transactions,” and in a more specific application, one or more “free trades.”

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for administering a reward program, comprising:

a card provider system, including;

a card instrument account for a cardholder that identifies purchases made by the cardholder using a card instrument;

a first module executed by a processor for processing purchases made by the cardholder based on use of the card instrument;

a second module executed by a processor for determining a reward information based on the purchases made using the card;

a brokerage system, including;

a transaction account for the cardholder that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, using the brokerage system;

a third module executed by a processor for receiving instructions from the cardholder that directs the brokerage system to perform a transaction for securities;

a fourth module executed by a processor for processing the transaction; and

a fifth module executed by a processor for applying a reward to fund at least part of the transaction,

wherein the reward is based on the reward information, wherein the brokerage system charges a fee to perform the transaction, and wherein the fifth module uses the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee

wherein part of the reward is funded by the card provider system, and part of the reward is funded by the brokerage system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second module comprises logic for determining reward information on a periodic basis as a percentage of net purchase information recorded in the card instrument account.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the card provider system further includes a sixth module executed by a processor for transferring the reward information from the card provider system to the brokerage system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sixth module transfers the reward information on a periodic basis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the card provider system further comprises:

a seventh module executed by a processor for generating a card instrument report that identifies purchases made by the cardholder, and which also identifies reward information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the brokerage system further comprises:

an eighth module executed by a processor for generating a transaction report that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, on behalf of a cardholder, using the brokerage system, and which also identifies reward information.

7. A method of administering a reward program, comprising:

establishing, by a card provider, a card instrument account for a cardholder;

establishing, by a brokerage service, a transaction account;

using a computer by the card provider to process purchases made by the cardholder based on use of a card instrument and making a record of the purchases in the card instrument account;

determining, by the card provider, reward information based on the purchases made using the card instrument;

receiving, by the brokerage service, instructions from the cardholder that directs the brokerage service to perform a transaction for securities;

processing, by the brokerage service, the transaction, and making a record of the transaction in the transaction account; and

applying, by the brokerage service, a reward to fund at least part of the transaction, wherein the reward is based on the reward information,

wherein the brokerage service charges a fee to perform the transaction, and the step of applying comprises applying the reward to fund at least part of the transaction fee,

wherein part of the reward is funded from a computerized card provider, and part of the reward is funded from a computerized brokerage service different from the computerized card provider.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the card provider determines the reward information on a periodic basis as a percentage of net purchase information recorded in the card instrument account.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of transferring the reward information from the card provider to the brokerage service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transferring step takes place on a periodic basis.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

generating, by the card provider, a card instrument report that identifies purchases made by the cardholder, and which also identifies reward information; and

forwarding the card instrument report to the cardholder.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

generating, by the brokerage service, a report that identifies transactions made by the cardholder, or on behalf of the cardholder, and which also identifies reward information; and

forwarding the transaction report to the cardholder.